It Started with a Kiss
by DivineSerenity1
Summary: Severus Snape lived to see the end of the war, much to his consternation! What will he do when a certain know-it-all seems to try and get closer to him. Will sparks fly? Or will old habits die hard? SSHG pairing. AU from the end of DH, ignores epilogue. Ob-viously.


**Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all its characters belong to JKR. **

* * *

It started with a kiss…

Well, to be more precise, it started with a locking of lips. It was not a passionate meeting. There were no tender caresses; no fervent exchange of sensuous words. There were no whispered promises of more. It was most definitely not a heated moment between a man and a woman first discovering a tender regard for one another. No, this was a necessity. The very breath of life, for their lips were locked in the aid of muggle resuscitation; life giving breaths passing from one to the other.

Oh, she had tried to do everything in her power the magical way. She doused his gaping wounds with dittany, poured antivenin and blood replenishing potions she found in his pockets down his throat, all while frantically chanting healing charms over and over. Hermione Granger is, in fact, the most brilliant witch of her age. The insufferable little know–it–all that she is could do no less. Try as she might, it had not been enough.

Though she did everything right, his heart still stopped beating. His blood loss was far too great that even the blood replenishing potions she poured down his throat were not sufficient to replenish the blood that pooled around his still body quickly enough. After all, litres of blood loss will do that to anyone, be it wizard or muggle. Once his wounds successfully closed, his heart gave out due to the strain, leaving her in enough desperation (he did not quite understand why once he came to) to give muggle methods a go.

During those faint precious moments his heart stopped, it was as if he was floating, and viewing the very scene of her efforts down below. He watched in morbid fascination as the young witch exclaimed in dismay in noticing his lack of a heartbeat. He saw her eyes darting back and forth, as though trying to formulate the best plan of action to bring him back to life. He saw the conclusion right before she sent out a patronus begging for assistance. Granger then set her wand down next to his still body –a foolish act in itself really, given the war raging outside –and began the rhythmic, timed chest compressions followed by assisted ventilation she provided to his deprived lungs.

He suddenly felt a pull in his middle as his corporeal form was being tugged away in what felt very much like performing an apparation, though not quite. For one, he could see himself being pulled through a dark tunnel with a light at the very end. He even snorted to himself thinking of the muggle phrase, "there's a light at the end of the tunnel." Though he supposed it rang true currently, as he was obviously dead and floating to his eternal rest.

Once closer, he noted shadows begin to form, which were soon replaced with familiar faces as he reached a clearing. Familiar dead faces, to be precise.

He first saw his mother Eileen Snape neé Prince, though she looked much different from when he had seen her last, so many years ago. For one, she was younger, _much_younger. She also appeared healthier; filled out as much as a witch her age and height should be –as he had seen her when he looked back at her school photos from when she attended Hogwarts. She was still pale, but not the ghastly pallor she always carried from his youth. The most notable changes were her eyes. Though she lacked the bruising and scars that were ever present during his childhood, to be sure, her dark eyes –very much like his own –held such warmth and light, a stark contrast to the vacant, almost dead expression he had seen for most of his youth.

The warmth radiating from his dark gaze had him crying out for not being accustomed to such love directed at him. She then smiled wistfully and spoke, "Oh Severus, I'm so very proud of you."

She then seemed to glide to him, and placed a gentle hand on his cheek, rubbing away the tear he didn't realize he let fall. He embraced her then, how could he not? It has been a little over two decades since he saw her last. He didn't even have a chance to say goodbye, as she was cruelly torn from him by a vicious, drunken coward he was loathe to carry the sir name of. After taking a deep calming breath, he stepped back and gave his mother a rueful smile. "I missed you mother."

"I missed you too my darling," she uttered with feeling.

Then after peering behind him, she said, "It looks as though I'm not the only one to say hello, Severus."

Turning around, Severus was astonished at the sigh before him. He was staring at the Marauders –all except the rat Pettigrew, of course –who were smiling at him. Severus tensed, expecting the name-calling and hexing of his youth that never came. Instead he received smiles, laughs, friendly pats on the back, and several 'thank you's' and congratulations' for his cunning (surprisingly, as Gryffindor's never praise Slytherin traits) and his bravery. Astounded by the warm welcome, Severus nearly gawked at them (well, gawking for Severus, meaning a slight opening then prompt closing of his mouth) for how could they truly respect him? These tormentors of his youth, and in the case of Sirius, in his adulthood as well. _Snivellous, the greasy git of the dungeons,_they'd said. And yet here they were, being amicable towards him.

He was soon pulled out of his reverie by the voice of an angel, the voice he dreamt of since the day he lost her so many years ago.

"Sev! I'm so happy you're here," Lily Potter exclaimed with glee as she drew him in a warm embrace.

Severus almost cried out again, his heart bursting with joy at seeing Lily again, he could almost not contain it. She gently pulled away, and gave him her warmest of smiles, a smile she hadn't graced him since before their fall-out in fourth year.

"Thank you, Severus. Thank you," she said, "You did it! Harry, is safe…" She started to say but was quickly cut off by a confused Snape.

Lily… Albus, he told me the prophesy you see…" He began to explain the terms of the blasted prophesy when he was interrupted by another familiar voice.

"Yes I did, my boy, but I also told you what Harry needed to know to defeat Tom Riddle once and for all."

Severus whirled around to see the face of Albus Dumbledore himself. The headmaster, his mentor, the man he felt was his father figure the most, his true master … the bloody git! How dare he put Severus through all of that turmoil! He lost his very life for the cause, and for what? For Potter to die anyway!

Seeing the look on Severus' face, Dumbledore said, "You know why I did what I did, I need not explain."

"But he died anyway!" Severus roared. "He was supposed to live, survive! Not die! I failed him, I failed Lily! And you bloody knew the whole time I would!"

Twinkling blue eyes stared into angry, dark ones, "He did not die, Severus."

"What?" Flummoxed, he could not form other words.

"He Did. Not. Die. As Lily was attempting to explain, he only lost the part of him that housed Tom Riddle. That part _had _to die. I assure you, Severus, Harry is very much alive and well. Otherwise, he would be here, would he not?"

"Not bloody likely, this being my heaven after all." Snape noted derisively.

"And yet the Marauders are here…" Dumbledore replied, eyes a-twinkle.

"We've worked past our differences," Severus mumbled, almost petulantly; grasping straws really, trying to explain the lack of one Harry Potter, and the presence of James, Sirius, and Remus.

Albus' smile was a tad mischievous and a tad amused. "As much as I love to argue semantics with you, I believe you will see with your very eyes that Harry is alive and well."

"What?" was Severus' less than eloquent response.

Dumbledore continued as though Severus had not uttered a word. "Besides, I do not believe you truly dislike him, as much as you pretend to. After all, you had to do much –even pretend to loathe Harry –as a spy for the light."

Severus then pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. It was true, Severus didn't really dislike the boy, he was Lily's son, after all. Though he looked like Potter, he still had his mother's eyes, her heart, and her feelings of justice and bravery. He was most definitely not a cocky swot like his father. Regardless of Severus' feelings, however, he was having a hard time reconciling with the fact that Harry Potter could live, when he was meant to die. _He was a bloody horcrux for goodness' sake! _

"Severus, you must go," Lily said suddenly, eyes locked on whatever images were behind him.

"Go where?" he replied.

"Back silly, your life is not over yet." She replied simply

"I don't want to go back, I want to be here with you," he replied earnestly, "with all of you." The sincerity of his statement was reflected on his face as he looked at each person present.

"And you will, Severus, just not yet." Dumbledore had the temerity to wink at him!

"But…"

Before he could argue more, he was given a hug by his mother followed by Lily. Hugs that felt very much like 'goodbye.'

"'Till we meet again, darling. Remember, I'll always be here for you." His mother said.

We'll all be here for you, Sev." Lily corrected smilingly, while holding James' hand. Remus and Sirius nodded their adieus.

"Remember Severus, be happy. You deserve it," was his mother's earnest request before feeling the gentle squeeze then push of Dumbledore's hand on his shoulder. As Severus involuntarily took a step back, everything suddenly went black.

He came to gasping, body splayed on the dingy floor of the shrieking shack covered in his own blood. Sheer pain and agony radiating from his newly healed neck and throat. A wide-eyed Hermione Granger was hovering over him, disbelief clearly written on her face. _Well, that makes the both of us, _he thought wryly. With that thought, the world went black again.

* * *

_AN: Welcome to my new story! I have yet to write HPverse, but am looking forward to it. Reviews and critiques welcome. This story will be AU from the last book, skipping the epilogue completely. It is also SSHG, so if that isn't your forté, __whoops__. _


End file.
